Rush Valley Mining District (Utah). Recorder Transfers

Historical Note

Scope and Content

Transfers are mining deeds conveying mining claims or mining property from one individual to another. The transfers in this series were created before federal mining law was enacted, and are based on regulations established by the Rush Valley Mining District. According to 1864 by-laws, no individual could hold more than one claim by location on any one vein, with the exception that the discoverer was entitled to one additional claim (By-laws Rush Valley Mining District, Utah Territory, Utah State Archives, series 3651). The by-laws provided exception to this rule by stating that one individual could hold any number of claims if he acquired them by purchase. In addition to limiting the number of claims, original Rush Valley District by-laws also limited the amount which could be claimed to 200 feet along a lode with 100 feet on either side, which is an amount considerably smaller than the 1500 feet later allowed by federal law. These limitations prompted vigorous trading of mining claims in the Rush Valley District. Federal troops, who made up the bulk of prospectors in the district, were called out of Utah in 1866 and mining activity temporarily subsided. When by-laws were revised in 1870 the one claim per person limit was dropped, eliminating the need for claim trading.

Each deed names the grantee (buyer) and grantor (seller) and states his residence. It states the amount of consideration money and that it has been paid. It describes the claim being transferred and is signed by the grantor, witnesses, and the district recorder.

Arrangement

Roughly chronological by date recorded.

Related Records

Mining district by-laws from United States. General Land Office, Series 3651, includes by-laws for this district.

Mining records from Rush Valley Mining District (Utah). Recorder, Series 24160, contain copies of the location notices and other mining records for the Rush Valley Mining District.

Access Restrictions

This series is classified as Public.

Preferred Citation

Cite the Utah State Archives and Records Service, the creating agency name, the series title, and the series number.

Processing Note

The records of the Rush Valley Mining District were processed by Rosemary Cundiff in August 2002. Utah State Archives refilmed these records and updated the inventory in February 2003.